Steve Lawson

When Steve Lawson of El Dorado High School thinks back on it, he has his brothers Howard and Scott to thank for the kind of wrestling season he had this year. Lawson pinned Poway's Harold Jones in the 194-pound state final to finish the season with a 45-0 record--including 43 pins--as well as individual championships in the State, Southern Section 4-A and Masters meets. Lawson, The Times' Wrestler of the Year, credits much of his success to his family lineage.

When Steve Lawson of El Dorado High School thinks back on it, he has his brothers Howard and Scott to thank for the kind of wrestling season he had this year. Lawson pinned Poway's Harold Jones in the 194-pound state final to finish the season with a 45-0 record--including 43 pins--as well as individual championships in the State, Southern Section 4-A and Masters meets. Lawson, The Times' Wrestler of the Year, credits much of his success to his family lineage.

Steve Lawson, a 194-pound wrestler from El Dorado High School, just can't get Loara's Chris Wright to move up to his weight class. Likewise, Wright is unable to persuade Lawson he should move down to take a crack at his 178-pound class. Orange County's best high school wrestlers just refuse to meet. It's not that they want to avoid each other--they are actually good friends--they just want to stay where they are, thank you. Lawson is the two-time CIF Southern Section 4-A and Masters champion.

Ed Regan of Sunny Hills High School led a field of 17 Orange County wrestlers among the 65 who qualified for the state tournament by finishing in the top five in their weight classes at the CIF Southern Section Masters meet Saturday. Regan's come-from-behind overtime win at 116 pounds was the biggest surprise in the finals. He overcame a 2-1 deficit with 15 seconds remaining to pull out a 6-2 win over Greg Jackson of Santa Monica.

Ed Regan of Sunny Hills High School led a field of 17 Orange County wrestlers among the 65 who qualified for the state tournament by finishing in the top five in their weight classes at the CIF Southern Section Masters meet Saturday. Regan's come-from-behind overtime win at 116 pounds was the biggest surprise in the finals. He overcame a 2-1 deficit with 15 seconds remaining to pull out a 6-2 win over Greg Jackson of Santa Monica.

Todd Tomazic may be undefeated in 16 matches this season, but no matter how hard the El Dorado High School wrestler tries, no matter how dominating the senior is, he can't seem to impress anyone. For this, Tomazic can thank the perils of prosperity. Forget all those things his coach, Frank Gonzales, says about Tomazic not yet reaching his potential.

Poway High School wrestlers won only one of four championship matches at the Five Counties Wrestling Tournament Saturday night at Fountain Valley High School, but it was enough to win the team title. The Titans' Jesse John defeated Eddie Lucero of Overfelt in the 157-pound division for the lone Poway victory. That win enabled the Titans to down Clovis, 149 1/2-143. Valhalla finished fourth in the two-day meet.

A hiker died Saturday when he slipped off a trail in a remote section of the Cleveland National Forest and fell down a 600-foot embankment, officials said. The victim was identified as Thomas Pewdo, 50, of Lake Forest, Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Lynn Nehring said. The accident occurred in the midafternoon about five miles from Modjeska Canyon, along the Santiago Truck Trail, Nehring said.

A Latino who wielded a knife and shouted racial epithets at a black man was found guilty Monday of a hate crime. Abel Castaneda, 39, of Santa Ana was convicted of making criminal threats and assault with a deadly weapon with the special circumstances of a hate crime. Castaneda was riding his bicycle past Menchaca Auto Service in Santa Ana on Aug. 23, 2005, when he saw Steve Lawson, who had brought his car in for servicing.

Loara High School won the CIF Southern Section 4-A wrestling title Saturday night at Edgewood High School in West Covina. The Saxons rolled up 154 1/2 points to outdistance runner-up Calexico, which had 126. They were followed by El Dorado and Edison with 95 1/2, Indio with 93 and Canyon with 86 1/2. Two Loara wrestlers won individual titles. Nicky Cob defeated Tony Trujillo for the 101-pound title and Chris Wright beat Mike Buckley of Covina by default for the 178-pound championship.

Steve Lawson, a 194-pound wrestler from El Dorado High School, just can't get Loara's Chris Wright to move up to his weight class. Likewise, Wright is unable to persuade Lawson he should move down to take a crack at his 178-pound class. Orange County's best high school wrestlers just refuse to meet. It's not that they want to avoid each other--they are actually good friends--they just want to stay where they are, thank you. Lawson is the two-time CIF Southern Section 4-A and Masters champion.

The group of 50-or-so students, friends and family of the El Dorado High School wrestling team likes to call itself the "Damage Brigade." After viewing the State Wrestling Championships at Independence High School Saturday, the group may want to pass on that title to the Golden Hawks themselves. The Golden Hawks--three wrestlers, actually--did great damage to the rest of the tournament field, placing second in team scoring overall of the 178 schools with wrestlers entered.

Loara may not be the heated rival it once was, but the Saxons still bring out the best in El Dorado wrestlers. The third-ranked Golden Hawks were ready for Loara Thursday, scoring four pins and a technical fall in winning the Empire League meet, 41-23, at El Dorado. "We were tearing it up out there," said El Dorado's P.J. Montano, who won by pin at 215 pounds. "We just flat went after them."